Forum Topic

Oh crumbs Gareth, so you want serious, and I was so enjoying myself in Vyborg...Well, the comment I made about seating isn't so flip really.  There are very few seats around the streets for people, particularly elderly or frail people, people with heavy shopping to rest their pins or just to sit down for no reason in particular.  I have been up to Osterley library and seen people waiting for the bus obviously having difficulty in standing (else they had been waiting for a few hours…  !?)  there isn’t even a wall to rest against or sit on. I would like to see a competition such as 'we have 20 seats to give away in the Borough - where would you like them placed?'.  Having said that I think they need a bit of strategic modernising in design - what do you want of a seat? and what do you not want?  Well, if you were saying that I was going to get a bench seat outside my house I'd be pretty fed up (unless of course I was volunteering for one!) because all manner of people can use it day and night and it could attract groups and then there could be disruption and noise.  There are bench seats dotted around Westminster with divisions on them to stop anyone bedding down for the night, which might be better.  I wouldn’t want a wet seat (!) so drainage or shelter would be nice.  The purpose of a seat is to take a short break, so a stool type single-seater might be a better style.  You could park a pram or a buggy alongside it.  It might even be possible to place a single-seater under or around a tree (or will somebody sue because a berry drops on their ‘ead?).  A double seater would allow people to pass the time of day in neighbourly conversation.  It would be nice to check out a potential position and then design something suitable to suit the spot – commission the designs from our school children studying design technology for instance?

Sarah Felstead ● 7435d

I haven't contributed to this Topic ..so far..because I feel that it is such a big topic that one needs to spend a good 6 months in deep study on the subject to fully understand what goes on.Current expenditure patterns have obviously EVOLVED over the years,and the annual tinkering and adjustments are the result of annual review,lobbying and arguement.I rather liked the style of the Brentford Ward  Councillor Luke Kirton (ABeeC) who I observed at a recent Brentford and Isleworth Committee Meeting. He appeared to be systematically learning the "ropes" about Local Authority Finance..and said at one point that "he had yet to learn and understand about spending " in a certain Dept.For example, at The Brentford Area Meeting, it was reported that there were still pots of money lying around in the Civic Centre..and perhaps Brentford Area money vaults..that had been allocated to certain projects but had not been fully spent..or spent at all. presumably someone had argued for it in the first place. Does it get refunded to Central Funds...or o=does it just lie dormant in a distant account? Money sitting around for years and years. "Decades of not altogether clear practices" was another sentence uttered at the meeting.When the financial cake is being cut up for the year ahead...how can anyone make an observation on which Department deserves more or less without knowing in deep deep detail about how the money is being spent.I recently read in the local Press that Road improvements were to be made to the Wellington Road South and Hanworth road junction.  Were they really needed? etc etc. And as for the £200,000 budget..was that excessive? Were some materials overpriced?, or same price but lower quality, did the road menders work a comfy 25 hour week?..was the hired equipment overpriced. Who knows?...who checks? Should it have only cost £150,000 and the balance used for Christmas decorations in Brentford High street?Every bill and every contract needs to be examined and audited. I heard a Demolition Company boss engaged by the Council say "I made no money doing the demolition but then they asked me to fence around the site....and that was big big bucks..I'd like more of that"Local Authority finance is a big big subject..and until I'm better informed..I am in no position to make a recommendation.

Jim Lawes ● 7448d

It is such a difficult thing for you to hand over your children to another form of child care - but if that is what you want/need/choose to do then it is important there is a variety of care available to suit the families needs and the employers needs too.  Its a bit of a package when it comes to your job and I think the latest improvements with men being able to take part in this by sharing time off (maternity leave of whatever) is great - over time it will probably eradicate the sexist view of women skiving off work (?) and letting the side down.  I think that the facilities in schools are under used and I would like to see some spaces freed up for full time nursery care instead of the half day care, which can really complicate a working day!  The money Claire you are quoting is astounding!  but if the set up is there to make money - it will I s'pose.  I don't know what the answer is to that, but boy am I grateful that it isn't a worry for me any longer!Moving on to the teens - again there is so much space in schools it would be nice to see clubs available at the schools with a variety of social (centred) activities to get the kids mixing away from TV and computers.  The children can't even come out and play and mix in their streets now because the cars have taken over, and it is social mixing which breaks down barriers and teaches important social skills.I think it was Claire that said about the state of the parks?  well, when we were all growing up there were park keepers to keep an eye on things - and it is a false economy to not have them these days!The swimming pools are rather dire and the swimming lessons should all be free - but I would like to say that if the surrounding boroughs ones aren't free to them, they will fill up the places - so then they should be free to our residents!  The Isleworth Pool when I took my lads there, had seating for the parents to use - and these were taken away!  I could never understand the rationale and tried to talk it through with a lady who claimed to be the Manager - several 'girls' I knew waiting for their children, were sitting doing open university or course work whilst their children were in the pool - and suddenly they had to sit on the floor.  If this is still the case I'd buy some seating!

Sarah Felstead ● 7448d